Tasty morsels

Making every healthcare contact count

By Leigh Edwardson, Directorate for Health and Healthcare Improvement, Scottish Government

Health promotion in acute care settings offers a significant opportunity to improve health and wellbeing and reduce health inequalities.
                                        
By taking a Health Promoting Health Service (HPHS) approach where ‘every healthcare contact is a health improvement opportunity’, we can help to create a step change in health and well-being, shifting the focus more toward prevention rather than simply treatment of illness.

A new Chief Executive Letter (CEL) issued last month sets out specific health promotion actions to support health improvement in all hospital settings including community hospitals and maternity units.

This first CEL of 2012 extends the aspirations and range of actions set out in CEL 14 (2008) and sets out specified actions covering a range of topic areas including: Smoking, Alcohol, Food and Health, Healthy Working Lives, and Physical Activity.

Actions in respect of Food and Health focus on developing a consistent approach to healthy eating for all food service providers across the NHS, including private and voluntary sector operators.

Looking ahead, caterers will be required to follow healthyliving award criteria at the point of contract (re)negotiation. Where no contract exists, an implementation plan for the caterer’s registration to the healthyliving award will need to be agreed.

These steps build on CEL 14 (2008) action for the successful introduction of the healthyliving award for NHS canteens.

For full details, the CEL is available at: www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/CEL2012_01.pdf

Further HPHS information and support is available at: http://www.knowledge.scot.nhs.uk/home/portals-and-topics/health-improvement/hphs.aspx

A flavour of…

Curried parsnip and apple soup - serves 6

Recipe courtesy of Anita Peggie, Sir Walter Raleigh Hot Potato Company

Method

  1. Dry roast coriander, cumin and cardamom. Crush with mortar and pestle.
  2. Soften onions in a minimal amount of oil. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
  3. Add all spices. Cook gently for a few minutes.
  4. Add diced parsnips. Add stock.
  5. Simmer for 1 hour.
  6. Allow to cool slightly, then blend until smooth.
  7. Peel and grate the apple and add to the soup.
  8. Check for seasoning (it shouldn’t need more than a twist of black pepper).

Ingredients:
1 heaped teaspoon coriander seeds
1 heaped teaspoon cumin seeds
6 whole cardamom pods (seeds only)
A little rapeseed oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 heaped teaspoon turmeric
1 heaped teaspoon ground ginger
700g parsnips, diced
1 litre vegetable stock
1 medium Bramley apple
A little black pepper

Download this issue in PDF format
Food Service Sector
Involved in the food service sector and would like to know more? Click here
Customers
Do you sometimes want to eat healthily when eating out? Click here
issue twenty-one:
February 2012
Change font size
The healthyliving awardNHS Health Scotland - Scotland's health improvement agencyHealthier Scotland - Scottish GovernmentHealthier Scotland - Scottish Government